Ayanda Dlamini

Based: Cape Town

“I’d rather be comfortable in my private abundant life than having people own my life. With fame you can forget the swirl kous, doekie and slippers at Pick ‘n Pay,” says droll and confident Ayanda Tini on choosing fame or money.

Ayanda is a mom, a voice-over artist for commercials, an actress on popular local series Montana on SABC 1, and a radio DJ on Good Hope FM. Along with this she also does motivational work with the youth, does work with young women, and has spent time volunteering at Pollsmoor prison, and through this realised how important education is and how you need to adapt to the situations you find yourself in.

“Avra k’davra-Aramaic for ‘I will create as I speak’. This reminds me to watch what I say to people, to myself in any situation. It’s not always easy,” she says.

Ayanda believes that music does influence our lives, and it is our choice as to how we allow it to influence us. If you listen to depressing music, she says, you are sure to stay in your dark place. On this note she encourages the youth to be themselves, be reliable, confident and willing to learn if they’d like to get anywhere in life.

Among the struggles of life, Ayanda regards poor thoughts as the world’s biggest problems right now. This stems from hatred, poverty, dislike and disrespect. As expected, she believes we just need to change our own personal attitudes in order to change the world. With a pure good heart and good intention, Ayanda’s friends say that she is the same on air as she is off air. This is key to being a ‘real’ person that people can relate to as Ayanda says she maintains conversations with her listeners on air.

“Radio is a skill. Anybody can talk on radio, but can they engage, entertain and communicate with their listener? I have got to make sure I’m believable,” Ayanda says.

Ayanda continues to do work in the community and strives to make the world a better place by making the world laugh and enjoy life through her shows and her interaction with people.